The Basics of cooking Korean Food

Even if you prepare all the ingredients perfectly, if the heat adjustments are incorrect, rice may be underdone, fish may burn, beef ribs may be half-done, and you may not get the desired results. The recipes in this book will describe the heat adjustment in detail such as “on medium heat” or “on low heat.” These directions are important because they determine the cooking results. Therefore, it is necessary to control the heat as per the recipes in order to obtain the best results.

1) High heat

High heat is a heat level in which the flame touches the entire bottom of the pot on a fully opened gas range. This is the heat level for frying, grilling, steaming or boiling ingredients for the first time, or boiling soup intensely.

2) Medium heat

Medium heat is a heat level in which the flame touches most but not the entire bottom of the pot on a half opened gas range. This is the heat level to continue boiling briskly after high heat.

3) Low heat

Low heat is a heat level in which the flame is very low. Low heat level is less than half of medium heat. This is the heat level for boiling liquids down a long time or simmering soup gently.

Heat source

Water quantity

500 g

1 kg

2 kg

Remarks

Gas range

High heat

3 min.

5 min.

9 min.

Water temperature before boiling: 25℃ (77℉)
Based on a 20-cm diameter pot